Rinse added fabric conditioning compositions are well known. Typically, such compositions comprise aqueous lamellar phase dispersions which have fabric softening properties.
One of the problems frequently associated with conventional fabric conditioning compositions is that such compositions, especially those having a viscosity greater than about 0.08 Pa.s at a temperature of 25° C. at 106 s−1, measured using a Haake rotoviscometer, exhibit poor dispersion, dissolution and deposition properties. This problem is made worse when there is little or no agitation of the water after the fabric conditioning composition has been added as is the case with handwashing.
It is desirable, that in addition to softening, fabric conditioning compositions have good dispersion, dissolution and deposition properties.
DE 199 04233 A1 discloses a solid premix for a laundry softening agent in which the dispersibility of the laundry softening raw material is said to be improved by adding, inter alia, a nonionic surfactant to a melt of the raw material and then milling the solidified melt. The resultant powder or granulate is then stirred into cold water to produce a laundry softening agent in the form of a dispersion which is ready for use. However, no evidence of improved dispersibility is provided and there is no disclosure of the formation of emulsions.
WO097/03170 discloses aqueous, concentrated, stable, water dispersible fabric softening compositions comprising a fabric softening active and a principal solvent selected from an extensive list. The molar ratio of the principal solvent to the fabric softening active is not less than 3, preferably from about 3.6 to about 100. However, the compositions disclosed are not emulsions.
EP-A-0569184 discloses a powder progenitive of a rinse conditioner which is used to form an aqueous dispersion of a rinse conditioner. There is no disclosure of any rinse conditioner formulations in the form of an emulsion.
WO93/19147 discloses fabric softening compositions which comprise a mixture of a diester quaternary ammonium fabric softener material, a highly ethoxylated hydrophobic material as a scum dispersant, and a liquid carrier. This mixture prevents the formation of scum caused by the interaction of the diester quaternary ammonium fabric softener material with anionic detergent surfactant and/or detergency builder entrapped in the fabric. However, the compositions disclosed are all dispersions, not emulsions.